Municipal traffic-control system.



J. B. HOGE. MUNICIPAL TRAFFIC GONTROL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 22, 1913. 7 1,251,666, Patemted Jan. i, 1918.

6 SHEETSSHEET i.

I. 8. HUGE.

MUNICIPAL TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 22, 1913. 1,251,666. Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

' 6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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MUNICIPAL TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 22, I913.

Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3 J. B. HOGE.

MUNICIPAL TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 22. I913.

Patented Jan. 1, 1918 6 SHEETSSHEET 4- .l. 8. HUGE.

MUNICIPAL TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION r1150 SEPT. 22. 1913.

1,251,666. Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5- I22, (1 I l 27 r :i 117 1 i 20 a 26 i 2a 1 r 2;: Z2

J. B. HUGE.

MUNICIPAL TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 22, I9I3-' Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

6 SHEETSSHEET 6- Wit 6M UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES B. EDGE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

MUNICIPAL TRAFFIC-CONTROL SYSTEM.

Application filed September 22, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES B. Hoon, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Municipal Traflic-Com'trol Systems, of which the following is a specification, referencebeinghad therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to municipal signaling, and has for its object theprovision of a complete system for communicating. with and controllingfire and police agencies and also the traffic through public streets androads. I

My system of signals, with some special arrangement and adaptations'isintended to be used in conjunction with various known police and firesignaling systems, and to supplement the same so as to render them moreeconomical and more efficient.

It is not unusual for speeds as high as 40 7 miles per hour to beattained by fire apparatus which means nearly 3600 feet per minute.Allowing for direct transmission of a sound signal, and that it could beclearly.

distinguished some distance ahead, the sound could only reach hearers 18seconds ahead'of the machine, and 18 seconds is not long enough forcongested traffic, or any traffic, to clear a street and take the curb.Even .when apparatus is traveling at lower speeds, it would have tocarry very powerful signals to be sure of distinction above streetnoises, and great quickness and activity on the part of drivers andothers to clear the street in advance of the apparatus, would benecessary.

Briefly stated, my invention comprises a completely orgamzedintercommunicatmg system of signals, by which term I mean visualsignals, aural signals, telegraph and telephone, between headquarters,substations for sending information to headquarters, (such as fire andpolice boxes or substations), substations for receiving orders andinformation from headquarters, (such as fire and police stations andpolice boxes), and traffic control stations.

In order to attain the object of my invention, I provide traffic controlboxes or signals at street intersections and other suitable points(which may indeed include recurring points along an entire street), andarrange these signals for operation locally by traflic policemen at thestreet corners, on the curbs,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

Serial No. 791,222.

or in the centers of street intersections, providing at these controlpoints hand switches or buttons, or foot pedals, or both, and forcommunication with headquarters (fire or police), telephones andtelegraph receiving instruments. Emergency signals, consisting of flashlights, or lights of different colors, are provided for local control,as well as whistles operated by compressed air, or the like, all ofwhich may be actuated if desired direct from headquarters, or fromanother local traflic control point. If desired, the box signals mayalso be controlled from a distance through suitable circuit connectionsnot shown. The traffic policemen are in constant communication with thecenters and through them with all the outlying sensory portions of thiscompleted system. Thus the traflic policemen are at 'all times informedas to the origin of fire signals and what probable routes will be usedin answering the alarms, and can be instantly informed of any emergencyout of the ordinary. The runsmade by fire department apparatus inanswering first alarms average between one-half and three-quarters of amile. Apparatus answering second, third and fourth alarms must makelonger runs.

By the use of this system it is possible tohouse the traffic men intheir booths'in bad weather, and heat the booths electrically ifdesired. By providing both manual and pedal control switches, I enablethe traflic ofiicer to operate both standing and sitting.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a street crossing with the signals ofthe system of my invention installed.

Fig. 2 is a plan of the business section of a city showing fire andpolice central stations, together with a plurallty of traflic controlstations and fire and police telegraph and telephone connectionsthereto.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of the system as a whole, and

Fig. 4 is a plan view showing that portlon of the system comprising thesignals and the various connections thereto at a single station.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a traffic control signal box.

Fig. 6 is a view of a traflic otficers booth showing an automaticemergency flag adapted to be dropped into view when the emeradapted tobe displayed in sets, each set comprising one lamp of a distinctivecolor for each intersecting street.

Fig. 8 is a front view of a modified signal in which the lamps areplaced back of the two-faced sign, one face displaying the word Stopandthe other the word Move.

Similar reference characters on each of the figures of thedrawing referto similar connections and parts. j'

Each traflic control station is preferably equipped with signals "10 asshown in Fig. 1. There is one of these signals on each of the fourcorners of the crossing designated respectively N. E. S. and V. In caseof more corners additional signals may be placed, one on each corner.The signal may be of any of the well known types of electricallycontrolled signals in use in railway signaling systems. I prefer to usean annunciator of the movable curtain type 10 (Fig. 5) mounted in a box12 near and over the street or road on a pole such as 13, which may beone of the corner poles used by the street railway or light or otherwire-using company.

The curtain 11 carries the word Move and the partition 11% carries theword Stop, the former (11) being vertically movable by mechanism withinthe box or at other suitable points displaying the word which it carriesthrough the window 14 in front of casing 12. Vhen the movable curtain isdrawn up on drum 17 the partition 11:}- comes into view through thewindow 14. The backs 15 of the casings 12 are opaque whereby the signalscan only be seen from the front, and the casing 12 and the surfaces ofthe parts 11 and 11% are in planes at right angles to the direction ofthe traffic which they control, whereby the signals can be clearly readfrom all .points from which they are approached. The location of thesignals on the corner posts is preferably of such height as to elevatethem above the top of the tallest vehicles permitted to'be used upon thecity streets. The

casing 12 is provided with a storm and sun shield to protect the window14 under which are located lights, plain or of different colors, whichmay be automatically cut in and cut out day Or night as the curtain 11is moved. The mechanism for operating the curtain may be any one of anumber of types, but I prefer that shown in connection With Fig. 5.Within the box 12 the our tain 11 is hung back of the glass front of thebox and made to wind up on drum 17. The curtain is weighted on the endby iron rod 18 and runs over roller 16. When coil 21 is energized itpulls plunger 22 and connectin rod 20 down, causing gear 27 to o cratepinion 19 which is fastened to drum 1;. A reflecting lamp 25 lights thecurtain.

When plunger 22 is all the way down switch 28 is opened by theprojecting end of the lower pivot pin between members 20 and 22,removing the shunt normally existing around the resistance 29*, leavingsaid resistance 29 in series with coil 21. The function of thisresistance is to cut down the current passing through the coil 21 duringits continued energization, and the short circuiting switch is providedso that the initial current required for operation of the coil will nothave to pass through the resistance. When' current is cut off 21 theweight of iron rod 18 pulls curtain down.

In casing 12 shaft 26 is provided for pinion 27 and shaft 30 issimilarly provided for pinion 19 and drum 17.

All signals 10, which it will be noted, are on the near side of thecrossings which they protect, are under the direct control of thetrafiic policeman through the control box 26 mounted upon one of thesignal posts as shown, or in a booth or tower. An elevated platform 27'may be provided for the traflic policeman to stand upon in operatingthese signals, the elevation of the platform being such that he can seeabove the heads of pedestrians and vehicle drivers. It may be advisablein some instances to have this booth. platform, or tower, elevated sothat the policeman may see over the tops of vehicles of average size, inwhich case it will be advisable to place control box 26 in a suitablebooth such as used in connection withrailway systems in certain cities,said booth to be located on the sidewalk or elevated in the middle ofthe street. The location of'the platform 27, or the booth which takesits place, on the sidewalk, has the advantage of enabling the trafficpoliceman to be interviewed by pedestrians when desired, without danger.In some instances, however. it may be advisable for the traflicpoliceman to go to the middle of the street; to this end when so desiredI provide a control ,box 28 in the center of the crossing, and

containing control means in multiple with the control devices in the box26.

lVith this understanding, the crossing signal apparatus system at large,and its comprehensiveness, can be readily understood.

In Fig. 2 a general layout of the system is shown. In this also arelocated the fire department central at the east, the central policestations at the west, and fire department companies Nos. 1, 2 and 3. Ateach station Where there is to be located a traflic policeman there areplaced a set of the signals 10 as just described, and the control box26. For the sake of clarity these signals 10 are not shown, but thecontrol boxes 26' are indicated by small squares. Each of the controlboxes (of asmany as may be desired) is in telephonic connection with thecentral police over the telephone circuit shown in dotted lines. Thistelephone connection WhQI'QClQSiI'GCl, can also be extended to thecentral ofiice of the fire department. All of these boxes (or as many asmay be desired) are also connected by the full line connection shownwith the fire department central, and each station connected is providedwith a fire telegraph signal receiving apparatus, whereby the trafiicpoliceman in charge is signaled from the central fire station and mayproperly control the several crossing signals. The circuit connectionsfrom the police telephone and fire telegraph to the signals and theircontrols at the crossings, are diagrammed in Fig. 4. Police telephonelines'extending past the crossing are numbered 29. One pair of these 29is multipled into the control box 26 on the sidewalk. and also to theringer 30 in the street control box 23". Thus a traffic policeman may berung up either when upon the sidewalk or in the middle of the street. Bymeans of a portable telephone set 31. which he may carry suspended uponhis belt or in his pocket, he may connect with the telephone at the box28 and talk from the street, or he may go to the sidewalk and use thepermanent telephone. The fire alarm 'lines are designated 32. The firerepeating apparatus located in the box 26' is connected in series withthe line 32 as is also a fire gong 33 in the street box 28', wherebyfire alarm signals are also repeated in, box 26 and in box 28.Connections 34 extend from the sidewalk box 26' to the several signals10 and are multipled by conductors 35 to the street control box 28whereby the signals may be controlled, when desired, from either point.Power for operating the signals may be supplied from any source ofenergy through power mains 36.

Referring now to Fig. 3-, the apparatus in control box 26 comprisesdouble pole double throw switches 37 connected with power main 36 andalso with single pole single throw switches connected with 38*, 38 38and 39 for controlling the signals 10 over connections 34,a three poledouble throw switch 39 for shifting telephone and fire alarm connectionsfrom the sidewalk box 26' to the street box 28, fire alarm telegraphreceiver 33, and police telephone 41 of the box 26 being disconnectedand the corresponding parts marked 33 and 303148 in the street box 28being connected in their places. The street box 28 towhich multiples 35of connections 34 extend rests flush with the top of the pavement andcontains a plurality of buttons or pedals 42 42 42 and 42, or more whendesired, which are adapted for operation by the foot of the policemanand connect any desired multiple 35 with the source of power through thecommon bar 43 and conductor 44. Additional multiples 35 are carriedthrough flexible cable 45 to a hand controlled switch 46 having four ormore buttons 47 corresponding to the four or more foot switches 42 to42. Additionally, the street control box contains telephone ringer 30,jack 48, portable telephone set 31 adapted to be connected therewith andfire alarm gong 33.

The fire alarm central oflice contains a plurality of jacks 49 and'plugs50 of the usual type, the former connecting with the fire alarmtelegraph lines 32 which extend over various traflic routes and to thevarious engine houses, the latter of which are adaptcd to connect withthe despatchers signal transmitting apparatus, which may be of any ofthe usual types and is not shown. In fact the lines 32 may be. connectedpermanently with parts of a. fire alarm repeating system, which may beeither automatic or manual, such as used in progressive cities. Alongthe lines 32 are shown a plurality of fire department stations 51,designated by circles, and a plurality of trafiic control stations eachprovided with control boxes 26 and 28, containing apparatus just described.

It is customary in handling the fire appa- I hereafter described, whichwill enable the trafiic ofiicer on duty to read the alarms the same asthey are now read in the several stations and be able to tell frominformation previously furnished him what departments will respond, whatroutes they will take, etc, so that he may act intelligently whennecessary to clear the streets.

The police telephone station "comprises a 'set of the usual telephoneapparatus indi.

cated by jacks 53 and plugs 54, the jacks 53 connecting with varioustelephone circuits 54 extending some of them to the ordinary police callboxes commonly used in cities, and others of them to the traffic controlstations 52 preferably paralleling the fire alarm telegraph lineswherever it is desired to communicate with all the stations-52 on agiven route. Also certain of the lines 54 may be provided withextensions 55 to jacks 60 in the fire central station, wherebythetrafiic control stations may be communicated with from the fire centralas well as from the police central.

At the trai'fic control station 52 in connection with the signals 10 areprovided the emergency signals 64 and 65, the one any form of mechanicalor aural signal preferwith these switches 67 and 68 ably a whistleoperatedfrom a tank of compressed air 66, and the other a light of highpower operated from the mains 36. Manual control keys 67 or 68 areprovided respectively at the booth 26 and control station 28 forcontrolling these signals, as indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 3. Inmultiple is the armature 69 of an electro-magnet 70 connected with thetelephone circuit 29 by circuit 71 adapting magnet 70 for energizationby current of a special character only.

The operation of the system is as follows: As long as the traffic isnormal, the traffic policemen at the various traflic control stationsoperate the signals 10 in one direction or the other to control thetraflic as conditions judged by them require. In operating from thesidewalk box 26, it will be apparent that by throwing in one of thesingle pole switches 38 to 38 the policeman may operate any desired oneof the signals 10, and when so operated, the signal will move from itsstop position to its move position, or vice versa. The double pole'double throw switch 37 is connected as shown in Fig. 3, so that but onepair of diagonally opposite signals can be connected to the power mains36 at a time. In each case the pair of switches so connectible is thepair governing traflic on the same street. Thus with the switch 37closed to the righthand pair of contacts 38 and 38 as shown, the signals10 on diagonally opposite corners such as N and S (north and south),Fig. 1, only may be closed. It is therefore impossible for a policemanto throw a line of traflic at 90 to another line of trafiic and therebycause confusion and accidents. However, by manipulating the switches 38and 38 the switch 37 remainin I in the position shown, he may limit trac to one direction only, as for instance north, while stopping thetraflic in the other direction, south.- Thus in case of very heavytraffic due to congested conditions at the crossing, it may be handledin small portions. Not until the policeman throws the double switch 37to the left, can the east and west signals controlled by switches 38 and38 be operated to permit the traflic east and west to move. In case offire the trafic policeman receives the signal on his fire alarm receiver40, and if the fire apparatus in his district is to move he immediatelyproceeds to clear the route. By manipulating his key 67 or 68 he soundsthe emergency whistle 64 and flashes the emergency light 65, and may usehlS emergency fiag. In such case it will be understood by all driversthat vehicles are not'only to be stopped, but are to be moved to thecurb at once so that the street may be perfectly clear for the passageof the fire company, or other emergency equipment. Single pole switches72 and 73 are shown in connection with signals 64 and whereby they maybe individually cut out when desired, since it may be desired todispense with the light during the daytime or with the whistle at night.At the same time the trafiic policeman is advised of the location of thefire, the number of the box calling be-' ing sounded on his instrument40 simultaneously with the striking of the gong as is a This causesmagnet to attract its armature 69 and to operate both the whistle 64 andthe light 65. Suitable automatic apparatus may be used for supplyingthis current of special character at intervals, whereupon the signalsare sounded intermittently and automatically, until the apparatus 1s cutoff. Such automatic ringing is very common and well known in telephoneexchange systems.

During the period of their duty, the traffic policemen may be calledfrom either the central police station or the central fire station, andin turn may themselves call either of those stations at will, wherebythey may be given special instructions upon any desired subje'ct. Thusany unauthorlzed traflic may be stopped, upon direction from thecentralstation, information as to escaping thieves and criminals may be given,reports transmitted by the policeman to the central police station,calls for assistance may be sent in by him, and special mformatlon ofany kind for instance as regards the passage of apparatus and theparticular character of any emergency, may be transmltted to the centralfire station. In each of these several respects, theutility of my system1s apparent, as well as its novelty.

In case the traflic policeman goes to the street to control his signalsfrom the street box 28', he opens switches 37 and 38 to 38 and shiftsthe three pole switch 39 before leaving the box 26. At any time duringhis control from the street box 28 he may use the hand control 46 whichthrough its flexible connection 45 enables him to move about in theneighborhood of the box 28 instead of being confined to it as he is whenhe operates the signals by the. foot switches 42" to 42. Through theswitch 68 the emergency signals .64 and 65 may be operated from thestreet as well as from the sidewalk.

In case of light load, the system permits the unitary operation of twoor more adjacent trafiic control stations. To this end the multiples 35from conductors 34 to two or more adjacent stations may be joined together by a plug 7 5, which plug is preferably located in the sidewalkcontrol box 26, the multiples 35 from one station being extended all theway to the other. There would preferablybe provided one of thesemultipling plugs 75 at each control station.

It should be understood that the foregoing description is specific forpurposes of defini' tion only, and not for limitation. A great manychanges and alterations can be made and will occur to those skilled inthe art, without departing from the spirit of my invention. A fewmodifications will be 1ndicated. The box 12 in Fig. l is shown mount edon the pole 13, although any other arrangement for holding the box 12,that would suggest itself to those skilled in the art, may be used.Regarding the emergency fiag used by the traflic officers, 1n case theemergency light is not readily seen in the day time, it is possible forthe trafiic officer to have a. red flag which he can hang out of hisbooth when the whistle is blowing, but I prefer such a flag mounted on apivoted socket or drop member normally latched in retired position, butunlatched and dropped down into view by an electromagnet 65 connected tothe same circuit as that for the emergency signal described. I

preferably make the electric whistleor gong so as to have a distinctivetone, either by tuning it, or by producing a chime efiect, which-can bereadily recognized and covered by city ordinance forbidding its use byautomobiles or otherwise. In cities where it is the rule not to permittraflic to turn at street intersections, compelling vehicles to go pastthe street desired, then turn, go back, and enter the desired street onthe righthand side, the trafiic signals described are operated withdouble pole double throw switch only, one operation being necessary whenchanging from one street to the other. It should be noted that it isunnecessary to stop traffic when changing from the control box 26 to28'.

It is important to understand that for handling trafiic, I contemplateusing lamps in the signal boxes or mounted on the street posts, withoutany wording or any movable parts, the lamps being of different colors,one color indicating stop and the other move. This simplifies thecircuit, because when one set of lights is turned on it will display onesignal, and the other set the other and the lamps of opposite colors fortwo 1ntersecting streets may be connected with the same wires inparallel, that is to say the red lamps of a north and south street whitelamps of the east and west street may be on the same circuit, and viceversa. Thus by closing one switch the red or gong is sounded and the redlights are flashed at intervals, say every two or three seconds. Thiswould eliminate the necessity of having the emergency light over thestreet. Another modification of the signal is to put the lamps in frontof reflectors back of a two-faced sign, one face displaying the wordStop and the other the word Move, both faces being in the same plane ifdesired. When one set of lights is turned on, one signal is illuminated,and the other illuminates the other set.

It is to be understood that I contemplate all non-essential changes asfairly included within the scope and purview of the following claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: p

1. In a municipal traffic control system, traffic control signals abovea roadway, and actuating means therefor comprising pedals mounted flushwith the roadway, whereby the operator may control the signals while onhis feet.

2. In a traflic control system, an elevated signal, and a controllingequipment therefor comprising a circuit closer located at the feet ofthe operator and adapted for pedal operation, and an alternative circuitcloser ele-' vated above the level of the pedal circuit closer forconvenient manual operation by the same operator, both circuit closersbeing connected in parallel to the same circuits leading to the elevatedsignal.

3. 'In a trafiic control system, an elevated signal, and a controllingequipment therefor comprising a circuit closer located at the feet ofthe operator and adapted for pedal operation, and an alternative circuitcloser elevated above the level of the pedal circuit closer forconvenient manual operation by the same operator, both circuit closersbeing connected in parallel to the same circuits leading to the elevatedsignal, together with means for shifting the circuit control from onecircuit closer to the other.

4. In a municipal traific control system, start and stop signalspositioned above a roadway, an emergency signal also suspended above theroadway, means on the level of the roadway adjacent to said signalsconnected to and adapted to control the start and stop signals, othermeans also adjacent thereto connected to and adapted to control saidemergency signal, controlling means for said emergency signal located ata distance therefrom, and connections therefrom to the signal, wherebythe same may be operated gency purposes.

ing to a distant 'means at said ways in proximity to their intersection,one

set of signals visible along and controlling traffic in both directionsthrough one road, and the other set in both directions through the otherroad, a source of current and separate circuit connections therefrom tosaid signals, with interlocking circuit closing means for the respectivepairs of circuit connections, so arranged that the circuits of only oneset of signals, appropriate to one road, can be closed at the same time,whereby confusion of traflic is prevented.

7. In a trafiic control system, elevated electric signals in two sets,respectively associated with and visible along each of two intersectingroadways, a source of current and circuit connections therefrom to eachof said signals, a circuit closer for each signal, and a master circuitcontrolling device associated with said circuit closers and adapted tosupply current therethrough to only one set of similar signals at thesame time, whereby confusion in traffic is avoided.

8. In a municipal traflic control system, start and stop signals in twosets positioned above and respectively appropriated to two intersectingroadways, one pair of start and stop signals arranged to be visible ineach direction along eachroadway, in proximity to the intersection, asource of current and circuit connections for said signals, separateclrcuit closers for the start and stop signals, working in oppositepairs, whereby the start signals will be exhibited for one roadway whenthe stop signals are exhibited for the other simultaneously, and aninterlockin switch controlling the current supply to sai circuit closer,and having separated contacts connected to the opposite related pairs ofon and ofi? signals, with means adapted to close said contactsalternately but inoperative to close them simulta'neousl 9. In amunicipal trafilc control system, a plurality ofpairs of electriclights, each pair of difi'erent colors, and opposite pairs positionedabove and visible along two intersecting roadways, a source of currentand connections from said source to said lamps, a booth in proximity tothe intersection of the roadways, separate circuit closers for saidlamps in said booth working in opposite pairs, and a master switchhaving separate fixed contacts connected to similar lamps of oppositegroups, and a movable contact cooperating alternately with said fixedcontacts to control the current supply to the lamps, whereby conflictingsignals cannot be set.

10. In a municipal traffic control system, intersection signalscomprising four pairs of electric lights, each pair of difierent colors,constituting start and stop signals, two pairs positioned above so as tobe visible along one roadway, in opposite directions, the other twopairs positioned above so as to be visible along the other orintersecting roadway in opposite directions, the first two pairs beingon opposite sides of the intersection, and the opposite sides of thestreet to which they are appropriated, and the second two pairs beingsimilarly on opposite sides of the intersection and on opposite sides ofthe street to which they are appropriated, whereby each pair of signalscan be used to control traflic toward the intersection in one directionalong one street only, a source of current and circuit connectionstherefor to all of the signals, separate circuit closers for each signaland for each pair, and a master circuit closer supplying currentalternately to similar signals of opposite pairs on the same streetonly, whereby switching together of 90 traflic'is rendered impossible.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of. two witnesses.

JAMES B. HOGE. Witnesses: 1

EDWARD E. CLEMENT, JOHN P. TARBOX.

